1991
by BubblyFx
Summary: Maybe it was a mistake sending her to Hogwarts. Maybe she was meant for Atlande, to live the life she started in California. Her heart was beating fast, mind in a flurry. She drifted so far away from her thoughts that she couldn't even hear the hat's mumbling anymore. Maybe this was all wrong. That letter was a mistake. She wasn't meant to be at Hogwarts. Or is she?


All children who receive their Hogwarts letters always are happy and delighted. The joy of being included in a magical school in Britain and the best one even, seems to excite them. Except for Alexandra Maura Dominique Van Buren.

She was in a shock when a letter arrived for her, to go to a school in England. She was raised as an American but she was born in England, a fact she always seems to forget. Her mother had told her that it was the best Wizarding school and it was better for her to go there than to go in Atlande Magic Academy. She begrudgingly agreed. Not less than a week later, Alexandra had left her life in California to go in some Wizarding School in the country she never even visited. Arriving at the Great Britain, she met cousins she never knew she had.

Elise Victoria and Joshua Ryan Clement Van Kensington were by far the coolest cousins anyone could wish for, she was sure. With both their blonde hair and warm hazel eyes, they look nothing like Alexandra, who had pitch black hair and her twinkling blue eyes. That didn't stop them from going out to every place she should see in Muggle London. In every chance she got, she would often ask about the life of wizards here. Turns out they aren't as social with the Muggles as they are in America where they practically live within a Muggle Community. The Ministry Of Magic US makes sure that Muggles don't know of their kinds' existence despite the fact that they live within their community and they do a pretty damn good job. The twins had brought her to places that are always amazing, and each and every time she would find herself saying that that was her favourite place. But, despite them being cool and all, that did not save them from her temper.

It was on a cool Friday when she was woken up by someone screaming like a banshee. Sitting up and ready to hex the hell out of whoever that was, she was surprised to see the twins smiling at her. Before she could get anything out of her mouth, they dragged her out of bed and into her bathroom where they gave her five minutes to shower and change. Of course, she didn't follow, just dragged herself to bed again but before she could even hit her soft mattress, she was then again pulled back to the bathroom. Making a lame attempt to open the locked door, she failed and so, got in the damn shower and changed into a pair of shirt and skinny jeans. After breakfast, she was given a golden key with no idea what it was for, with an envelope full of wads of cash. Her mom only said that the twins would explain. She was about to tie her shoe laces when she was yet again grabbed by the hand and in that moment, she felt her stomach turn, ready to throw everything she had ate. It stopped as soon as it came and she was throwing up the side in record time. Looking up, she was in a different surrounding.

It was of a pub, a very dirty and old pub. Ushered inside, she saw people drinking their butts off, some talking and some just making a fool of themselves. The twins walked straight, without even minding anyone and so did she. After all, she knows nothing about this world. Reaching a door that lead to a brick room, she grabbed their hands.

"You both better give me a good reason on why I left my bed at eight in the morning, threw up at the side walk and was suddenly grabbed and pulled to wherever this is and if not you better run and hide." She said, her eyes narrowed and her lips drawn into a thin line. She was as tall as they were, despite the two year difference, and that made the threat more serious than a normal 12 year old would give.

This was how the Twins knew not to cross her.

"It's already August 28 Alexa." Joshua said, a pointy look sent to her way.

"So?" She asked as Elise sighed, pulling out a letter from her bag and gave it to her.

"Honestly, didn't you read the letter?"

"I did!" Alexa said defensively.

"Yeah yeah." Joshua said, not believing a single word his cousin just told them as Alexa snatched the letter on her cousin's hand.

"I did read it for your information."

It looked _and_ smelled old, its paper crisp and brown. She turned the envelope and the same seal greeted her. Taking out what they call 'parchment', she read silently.

 _Dear Ms Van Buren,_

 _We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment._

 _Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July._

 _Yours sincerely,_

 _Minerva McGonagall_

 _Deputy Headmistress_

"Oh." She said in a small voice making the twins snigger. She glared at them and huffed.

"So what are we doing here and where is 'here' by the way?" Alexa turned; they were still in the brick walled room. Joshua just grinned as she tapped some of the bricks and amazingly, the bricks started to move, parting down in the middle.

"Welcome, to Diagon Alley!"

Alexa could only stare in wonder as the brick stopped moving, revealing a very busy, definitely wizarding shopping center. It was filled with wizards and witches, wearing all sorts of robes from all colors she could ever think of, black pointy hat resting on some heads. The loud chattering of the many people in this Alley were deafening, but comforting to hear at the same time. Stepping through the archway the bricks had created, she wished for four more eyes. Shops selling everything, from Robes to Potion Ingredients were here!

The twins could only smile at Alexa's amazement. Her bright blue eyes were trying to look at everything, her neck craning up and around.

"A pretty sight to see. I remember the first time Mom brought us here, we stumbled into everyone we passed by because we were too busy taking it all in." Elise told her, clapping her back as Alexa could only nod. It really was a beautiful sight to see. A thought suddenly invaded her mind.

"Wait, are we here to buy our school stuff?" The twins groaned and face palmed.

"Duh." Joshua said as Alexa looked at him weirdly. They haven't even gotten a list of what to buy.

"But how are we to know what to buy we-"

"Look at the other parchment!" Elise almost screamed. Alexa raise her hand up in a surrendering position, muttering 'calm down' before pulling out the envelope. There was another folded parchment. Taking it out, she looked at the twins who were expectantly looking at her.

"I read it she said. For your information she said." Joshua muttered as Alexa glared.

"The only thing important reading there for me is 'you've been accepted at Hogwarts'." She countered before reading the forgotten parchment.

 _HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY_

 _UNIFORM_

 _First-year students will require:_

 _1\. Three sets of plain work robes (black)_

 _2\. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear_

 _3\. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)_

 _4\. One winter cloak (black, with silver fastenings)_

 _Please note that all pupil's clothes should carry name tags._

"Really, robes as uniform? Ew." She said looking at her cousins. "And who wears name tags, it's not as if we're gonna work at McDonalds." Rolling her eyes, she continued.

 _COURSE BOOKS_

 _All students should have a copy of each of the following:_

 _The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1)_

 _by Miranda Goshawk_

 _A History of Magic_

 _by Bathilda Bagshot_

 _Magical Theory_

 _by Adalbert Waffling_

 _A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration_

 _by Emeric Switch_

 _One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi_

 _by Phyllida Spore_

 _Magical Drafts and Potions_

 _by Arsenius Jigger_

 _Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them_

 _by Newt Scamander_

 _The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection_

 _by Quentin Trimble_

 _OTHER EQUIPMENT_

 _1 wand_

 _1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)_

 _1 set glass or crystal phials_

 _1 telescope_

 _1 set brass scales_

 _Students may also bring, if they desire, an owl OR a cat OR a toad._

 _PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICK_

"This is outrageous! Not allowed our own broomstick?! I've been riding a broom since I was in third grade!" She said, loud enough for people to look at them but Alexa paid no heed. The twins sighed before pulling her into a shop with yellow windows and bright green paint, a sign saying 'Rosa Lee TeaBag.'

"Seriously, you guys have no café here?" She asked as Elise forced her to sit down in one of the booths, earning a 'Hey!'.

"Alexa this isn't America. You could probably talk and express however you want there but it's different here. The Wizarding World here is 'old school' if you would say. And it's best to keep your voice to a minimum." Joshua said as Alexa huffed. She is starting to regret coming to this school.

Though they were right. She has to remember this isn't America, this isn't what she's used to.

After nodding and promising she won't do anything like that again, they continued on.

Realizing she had no wizarding currency money she turned at them.

"Is there a Gringotts in here?" She said as Joshua pointed to a white building, that is almost gonna topple over the buildings next to it. With tall columns gracing the front of the multi storey building, it towers the other small shops.

"Right there."

"Hate to break it to you but it might collapse and fall onto that other Alley." Alexa said as the twins laughed. "The Gringotts here is very different from the ones in America."

"Really? What's it like?" Elise asked as they entered the building. Goblins were everywhere, from weighing golden Galleons, counting Sickles and orderly placing Knuts in little bags, they were all busy. One goblin stood out though, he was placed in a tall podium, glasses resting on his nose, a quill on his hand.

"Very modern. And it certainly doesn't look like it's gonna fall." She said before walking before them and clearing her throat to make her presence known. The Goblin dropped his quill with a resigned sigh before fixing his glasses. Yep, this Goblin does not want to be bothered. But as if Alexa cares. He peered and they made eye contact, a glare on the Goblin's face but was met with Alexa's glare as well.

"Yes?" He drawled. He hadn't seen her around. _Must be new_ , the goblin thought. "Do you want an account built?"

"I have an account, but you see I came from America." Ah. That's why. "Could I possibly open my account through here?" She asked, hoping she could. Her vault was flourishing, and she had her fingers crossed so that she could access it in here.

"Of course, just sign these parchments."The Goblin said, taking a quill from thin air and giving it to her. She preferred pens, because that's what they usually use in the US. With a struggle, she signed everything there needs to be signed, like her full name and address and her Vault Number.

With her signature done, she gave it to the head Goblin who reviewed her form. The girl had quite a long name, her surname intriguing him. Van Buren most certainly is an English Surname. A very old one. Gringotts housed a few Van Buren if he was correct. He left it at that, after all, it wasn't his place to know. Getting a stamp, he stamped it and signed.

"The key please?" She gave the key and they preceded smoothly, the three enjoying the rollercoaster ride down their deep, deep vaults. After getting a considerable amount of money from their vaults, they rode back and went out.

The shopping trip was extremely fun, despite Alexa hating the fact of waking up damn early. Elise and Joshua took her to different shops, starting from Madam Malkin's. She was a rather plump lady with white hair wearing a rather mauve dress. She was kind, and told them to go back to claim their robes and the other clothes Alexa has ordered, to at least fit in. Flourish and Blotts, the book shop, contained every book the three needed, with them getting some books aside from their course ones for leisure reading. After there, they went straight to the Slug & Jiggers Apothecary which was only next to Potage's Cauldron Shop, getting every potion necessity they need, they trotted off to Scribbulus Writing Instruments for their parchments and quills.

"You really use quills here? Can't you just use a pen?" Alexa asked as she plucked another feather from the Quill Container. Under it were the different colored inks, and not knowing what to choose, she just got one from each colour, and loads of self inking quills.

"Hogwarts is in an old drafty castle, what do you expect?" Joshua replied, getting loads of parchment. Alexa looked at how many parchments he's buying, he looks like he's going to write a damn book.

"Why the hell are you buying that many parchments?" She asked as she started to get her own.

"Believe me, you'll be writing essays enough to compile it in on a book thicker than Hogwarts: A History." Elise said before muttering under her breath. "Heaven knows Snape needs to tame down his essays."

So she took their advice and got as much parchment as she could.

After Scribbulus, they proceeded to go to Magical Menagerie. It wasn't a hard choice for an owl immediately caught her attention. Alexa chose a gray owl with deep green eyes, naming it Athena, in honour of her favourite Greek Goddess.

"She's beautiful." Elise said as Alexa smiled. Her owl surely is.

"So sport, what's the last thing you need to buy?" Joshua asked his young cousin glared at him.

"Don't call me sport, and the last thing I need is a wand." She said as the two grinned.

"Oh, let me tell you it is exciting! I remember my first wand shopping. It was magical." Elise said as Joshua laughed.

"If it makes it any better, I wrecked all the top shelves at Ollivanders. It was awesome." Joshua said as the three laughed. They walked to Ollivanders and once in front of the old shop, Alexa stopped and turned to face them.

"Could I- I mean, if you don't mind, no offense but – well," She stuttered. Alexa knows how to push people off, she just don't know how to break it to them gently that she just wanted to do this alone. She frowned at her inability to just say that she would like to go in alone. Of course, she would surely do it easily in a harsh or snob manner but breaking it to others gently, with the fear of them taking offense is a very different and is an entirely new world to her. She can be harsh and she can be cold but she can try to be sweet and kind too however, the latter ones seems to take much effort for her.

"We'll be waiting outside." Elise said as Joshua patted her back as Alexa blushed on her stuttering deliverance of the words. Sighing, she just went straight on to Ollivanders.

The little chime rang, alerting of whoever owns the shop that there is a buyer. Looking around, she could see that this shop is filled with shelves, top to bottom, filled with dusty boxes that must contain different types of wands. There was a wooden table that seems to serve as the front desk. Carefully approaching it, Alexa spoke.

"Hello?" And in an instant, the sound of a door closing brought her to look up. A silver haired man with scary blue eyes looked down on her. A smile on his face, he made his way down quite excited.

Ollivander knew that this girl was interesting the moment he saw her. He reminded him of someone… he just couldn't bring himself to remember who it is. He saw the way her eyes roam his shop, similar on how a muggle born would but this one had no teacher or anyone accompanying her. This was going to be an exciting one!

"Garrick Ollivander at your service." He said bowing slightly. Alexa knew right then and there that this man was weird. And scary.

"Uh, Alexa." She said smiling slightly. The man was immediately on the back of his shop, where there were rows and rows filled with wands once again. He suddenly pulled out a rather short box and went to her, opening the box and giving her the wand inside of it.

"Vine, unicorn tail hair, 8 ½." He proudly stated. Alexa could only inspect the one. It was simple, with swirls covering the end of the wand, slowly vanishing to the tip. She waved it and in an instant, the light bulbs broke. She immediately put it down but before she can even say sorry, Ollivander was now out of sight and in a second later, had another wand waiting for her.

"Sycamore and Phoenix Feather, 12 ½." He said as Alexa took it slowly and carefully, as if the world depended on it.

"Are you sure you want me to give this a wave Mr. Ollivander because when I do, something is sure to be broken." She warned as Ollivander chuckled.

This girl was silly.

"Oh believe me dear, even if you wreck the whole shop, only a wave of my wand can repair it."

"If you say so." Waving her wand, and true to her words, the front desk split down into two. She looked at him pointedly.

Alexa was getting irritated. It was her thirteenth time to try a damn wand. Thirteenth! She broke the front desk, the plants, and the shelves a even managed to make the stairs break.

"This is hopeless!" She said as Ollivander smiled.

"Oh believe me my dear, I know a student who had his wand on his 21st try." He said before laughing.

Why he was laughing, she had no idea. She was impatient, she knows that but this man doesn't.

"Are you from here my dear? You dress quite different from the muggleborns I see." He asked as he went far, far back.

"I'm not form here and neither am I a muggleborn. I came from the United States, California to be exact." She said looking at the damage she had caused. It was pretty much a lot.

"Ah. That's it." Ollivander murmured as he looked at the waiting girl at the front of the broken desk. He smiled as he got pulled out a box before heading out to her.

"Oh god, here goes another one and the next thing you know I'll be tearing this place apart." Alexa groans. Ollivander could only laugh.

"Trust me my dear, this is the last. I can feel it." He reassured her, but it seems to have failed for doubt and irritation lingers within the young girl's eyes.

"I hope so." She muttered under her breath.

Ollivander then showed her a red, long box, probably made out of felt. It was very different, without dust covering its box so Alexa came into a conclusion that this wasn't just a random wand in the shelves. He took of the lid, and revealed the wand inside. The first thing she noticed about the wand was it was pure white at the tip and going to silver at the bottom, sort of like an ombre. There was a ring of white gems surrounding a part of the wand, somewhere in the bottom as if separating the handle. From that ring, vines climbed to the tip, with little gems serving as its fruits, scattered around the wand.

"This looks very fragile." Alexa said, spell bounded by the wand that was presented before her.

"On the hands of the narrow minded, it is." Ollivander said, the look on his eyes urging her to take the wand. So, slowly and hesitantly, she gripped the handle of the wand. Warmth rushed within her, the air in the shop picking up. A light emanated from her, making her glow and Ollivander looking away in brightness. Once it had died down, everything was fixed and even better than before. Ollivander looked around before his eyes fell to the young lass who have captured the wand.

"Aspen, Dragon Heartstring , 14 ¾ inches. Why, the last Aspen I sold was three and a half centuries ago. Don't be surprised to have the only Aspen in Hogwarts." He chuckled as Alexa finally looked up to him. "I could say that you are quite hungry for adventure little one. Always ready to go find something new and exciting. And I _could_ say once again that we would be seeing greatness within you." He said, patting her shoulders as Alexa returned him the wand in order to be put in its box. She paid Ollivanders, a warm smile on her lips. The man maybe extremely weird and creepy but he seems kind and his intentions seem clear.

"So, how was it?" Elise and Joshua said at the exact same time, making her laugh.

"It was rather long and weird, but otherwise worth it." She said as the twins grinned. They put their arms around their little cousin's shoulders and together, they went for ice cream before begrudgingly apparating to their house.

"How was Diagon Alley?" Maria asked as she kissed the foreheads of the three.

"It was worth 8 am." Alexa said that made them all laugh. Ranting off and telling the whole tale of their shopping trip, she knew that there was a lot in store for her in her homeland.

If only she knew.

Hi! This is something that's stuck in my head for so long and I finally got the courage to post it! Whew! All mistakes are mine and I really really really really hope you like it!

Psst review down below please? YEYY!

See ya next chapteer! Byee!

(I don't own any of the HARRY POTTER CHARACTERS)


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